Bubble cap



I. E. 'NUTTER BUBBLE CAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1945wnllllllllllllll mIIlI'IIlI/l mmmm mmmm f.

Patented Oct. 14, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims. (01.261-114) The present invention relates to a contact apparatus and, moreparticularly, to an improved bubble tower cap construction for insuringintimate contact of a gas with a liquid.

An important feature of the invention consists in associating with abubble cap a reciprocating valve for controlling the flow of a gaseousfluid from below the bubble cap plate to the inside of ing of the valve.

' taining the bubble cap 40 in a fixed position on A further objectconsists in the provision of means associated with a bubble cap forreduction of turbulence of gas withinthe bubble cap which is effected byvirtue of the increased area and more direct passage of gas through thegas opening controlled by the reciprocating valve, and at high ranges ofcapacity, results in considerable less pressure loss as compared withthe conventional bubble cap construction provided with a chimney. Inother words, simple, efllcient,

and positive means are provided'ior permitting Y a greater capacity ofgas flow at an equal pres 'sure difierential from below the bubble trayto above the tray than has heretofore been obtainable. 1 1

Another object comprehends the provision of means for releasablymaintaining the bubble cap in a fixed position on the tray plate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following deopenings of difierent configurations.

Figure 8 is a plan view of a further modified form of bubble cap.

Figure 9 is a side view of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a plan view of another modified form of bubble cap, and

Figure 11.is a side view of'Figure 10;

In the form of the invention shown in Figures l and 2, means areprovided for releasably mainthe tray plate 4| so as to convenientlypermit access to the parts housed by the cap for the purpose ofinspection or repair. The cap 40 has a closed top 42 and is shown ofsquare shape with its sides 43 diverging downwardly from the top so asto rest on the tray plate 4|. Each of the sides 43 of the cap isprovided with suitable through passages such as the elongated openings44 which extend downwardly to a point adjacent the lower end of the cap.A reciprocating gravity operated disk valve 45 is positioned within thecap 40 for controlling the flow of gases upwardly through the valveopening 45 in the tray plate 4| and has a bevelled lower surface 41arranged to engage a complementary formed surface or valve seat 48 onthe upper wall of the opening 48, The valve 45 has extending upwardlyand centrally therefrom -a tubular portion or stem 49 which is of such alength that when the valve 45 is in its extreme upper or openedposition,it will be moved above the openings 44 at the lower extremity of bevisproperly centered relative to the valve opening-46 to insure the valvebeing moved into sealing engagement with the seat 48, when the gaspressure below the tray plate 4| drops to allow the valve to fall bygravity to close the opening 45. The lower end of the bolt 50 has atransverse arm or head 5| connected medially thereto as at 52 in anysuitable manner, such as by welding or the like. The arm 5| extendsdiametricallyacross the valve opening 46. and has its ends formed withreduced shoulder portions ing 46. The arm 5| is of such length that itsend portions 54 overlap and engage the adjacent undersuriace of the trayplate 4| when the parts are assembled. The upper or free end of the beltor rod 50 extends outwardly from the top 42 of the cap 40 and ispreferably threaded" as at 55 to receive a retaining nut 56 in order tofirmly clamp the 'cap 4|] in a fixed position. It will be seen that upontightening of the nut 55 on the bolt 50 that the 'end portions 54 of thearm. 5| are brought into firm engagement with the underside of the trayplate 4| so as to maintain the cap in a fixed position. When the partsare assembled, the arm is properly centered in the valve openingdfi ofthe tray plate and the bolt or rod 50 positioned within the cap 60constitutes a guide means for insuring .the proper positioning of thevalve 55 in engagement with its seat as for the purpose of cutting oilcommunication of the inside of the bubble cap to with the bottom of theplate 41. The upward movement of the valve 45 is limited by the stem 39being brought into contact with the top d2 of the cap 40. When it isdesired to obtain access to the interior of the cap Ml, this may readilybe done by removing the nut 56 from the bolt 56 and lifting the cap 40.Thus, simple and eiiicient means are provided for firmly clamping thecap Ml in position and for maintaining the valve 45 and its associatedparts in proper operative relation with the opening 46 in the tray plateI.

The bubble cap may assume various shapes and, as shown in' Figure 3, thecap 51 is formed with a curved or round side 58 having elongatedopenings or slots 59 in the side thereof and a central opening 50 in itstop for receiving a bolt such as disclosed in Figure 1, so that the cap51 may be interchangeably used or substituted for either the cap l3 orthe cap 40.

The bubble cap instead of having diverging sides or being rounded may be01 any desired configuration, such as square-shaped, and may have itsside formed with openings such as slots, recesses or the like ofdifferent sizes and shapes, As illustrative of some of the variousconfigurations the openings in the sides of the cap may assume, there isdisclosed in Figure 4, a cap M which has its side provided withelongated openings 62 that extend upwardly from the lower edge of thecap a suitable d stance so as to insure a free fiow of the gas frombelow the tray plate into and through the cap when the valve is in itsopen position.

In Figure 5, the side of the bubble cap 83 is formed with upwardlydiverging or tapering openings or slots 64 that decrease in width andhave their lower ends 65 closed and spaced from the bottom edge of thecap. In Figure 6, the side of the cap 56 is formed with upwardlydiverging openings 61 that have their lower ends 68 open and insubstantial transverse alignment with the lower edge 69 of the cap 65.In Figure '1, the side of the bubble cap is shown provided with smallopenings or perforations H for communicating the inside of the bubblecap with the outside thereof when the valve is moved away from its seat.

In Figures 8 and 9, there is shown a modified form of bubble capconstruction in which the cap 12 is of rectangular shape and hasinwardly sloping or inclined sides 13 having elongated openings 14adjacent its lower'edge. The cap is of such a length as to be able tohouse a number of valves but, if desired, may be of a size to be usedwith a single valve such as shown in Figure 1.

In Figures 10 and 11, a further modification of a bubble cap isdisclosed in which the cap 15 is provided with sloping sides 16 havingslots 11 therein and a round oblong top 18. The size and shape of thecap may vary and be of such a length as to be associated with one ormore valves for controlling the flow of the gas from below a tray plateinto and through the cap when the valve or valves therein are open, andthe openings in the sides of these caps may be such changes may be madeas falls within the purview of one skilled in the art, without'departingfrom the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a. contact apparatus of the class described, a tray plate having avalve opening provided with a valve seat, a bubble cap having a closedtop and an open bottom and mounted on said plate to enclose saidopening, the sides of the bubble cap being provided with openings, areciprocating valve within said bubble cap and arranged normally toengage said seat, said valve having a central opening and a tubularstem, the top of the bubble cap having a central orifice registeringwith said tubular stem, a retaining member for releasably securing thebubble cap to the tray plate, said member including a bolt having atransverse arm connected medially to one end thereof and extendingacross said valve opening so that the end portions of the aim overlapand engage the underside of the tray plate, the other end portion of thebolt being threaded and extending through the opening in the valve, thetubular stem and the central orifice, and a nut connected to thethreaded end portion of the bolt for forcing the ends of said arm intoengagement with the tray plate to maintain the cap in a fixed positionwhen the parts are assembled.

2. In a contact apparatus of the class described, a tray plate having avalve opening provided with a valve seat, a bubble cap having a closedtop and an open bottom and mounted on said plate to enclose saidopening, the sides of the bubble cap being provided with dischargeopenings, a reciprocating valve within said bubble cap and arrangednormally to engage said seat, said valve having a central opening and atubular stem, a retaining member for releasably securing the top of thebubble cap to the tray plate, said member including a bolt having atransverse arm connected medially to the lower end thereof and extendingdiametrically across said valve opening, so that the end portions of thearm overlap and engage the underside of the tray plate, said armadjacent the end portions being formed with reduced shoulders to providean intermediate portion that extends into and engages the wall of thevalve opening, the upper end of said bolt being threaded and extendingthrough the orifice in the valve and the stem andthe top of the cap, anda nut connected to the threaded end portion of the bolt iorforcing theends of said arm into engagement with the tray plate to maintain the capin a fixed position when the parts are assembled.

3. In a contact apparatus of the class described, a tray plate having avalve opening provided with a valve seat, a bubble cap having a closedtop and an open bottom and mounted on said plate to enclose saidopening, the sides of the bubble cap being provided with openings, areciprocating' valve within said bubble cap and arranged normally toengage said seat. said valve having a central opening and a tubularstem. the top of the bubblecap having a central orifice registering withsaid tubular stem, a retaining,

member for releasably securing the bubble cap to the tray plate. saidmember including a bolt having a transverse arm connected medially to ithe lower end thereof and extending diametrically across said valveopening, so that the end portions of the arm overlap and engage theunderside of the tray plate, the upper end of said bolt being threadedand extending through the orifice in the valve. and the stem and the top01 the cap, said valve and tubular stem being slidable' on the bolt andhaving their upward movement limited by engagement of the tubular stemwith the top or the bubble cap when the valve is moved above saiddischarge openings. and a nut connected to the threaded end portion ofthe bolt for forcing the ends of said arm into engagement 0 with thetray plate to maintain the cap in a fixed 2 position when the parts areassembled. 1

IRVIN EARL NUTTER.

8 nmnmvcos crrEn The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

